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AM news: LAPD, crashes, arts school and the Colbert Report

Today City Councilman Greig Smith will propose new housing and pension incentives to help boost the LAPD's flagging recruitment efforts. Hmm... will the success of Crash have any effect? Matt Dillon's LAPD officer is a prick, but he's also kind of heroic, and he gets to handle Thandie Newton.
The streets of the Valley are having their own crashes: hit-and-runs are up. Surface streets and highways together total to more than 9,000 in 2005. 10 people died, several of them who were on foot when they were mowed down by drivers who then took off.
LAUSD will have its new arts magnet, despite the fact that the cost for the new school is twice the original estimates. Construction will continue on Grand near Sunset Blvd, north of downtown LA.
Congressmen Adam Schiff of Pasadena, Brad Sherman of Sherman Oaks and Linda Sanchez of Lakewood will soon appear on The Colbert Report. The Pasadena Star-News reports that they're preparing to be skewered. But at least they had fun; "Oh my god, it was hysterical," Sanchez said of the experience.
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The L.A. City Council approved the venue change Wednesday, which organizers say will save $12 million in infrastructure costs.
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Taxes on the sale of some newer apartment buildings would be lowered under a plan by Sacramento lawmakers to partially rein in city Measure ULA.
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The union representing the restaurant's workers announced Tuesday that The Pantry will welcome back patrons Thursday after suddenly shutting down six months ago.
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If approved, the more than 62-acre project would include 50 housing lots and a marina less than a mile from Jackie and Shadow's famous nest overlooking the lake.
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The U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on immigration sweeps in Southern California, overturning a lower court ruling that prohibited agents from stopping people based on their appearance.
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Censorship has long been controversial. But lately, the issue of who does and doesn’t have the right to restrict kids’ access to books has been heating up across the country in the so-called culture wars.